Freight-transfer for warehouses or factories.



PATENTED MAR. 22, 19 04.

J. GILMOUR. FREIGHT TRANSFER FOR WAREHOUSES 0R PAGTORIES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

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No. 755,478. PAT'ENTED MAR. 22, 1904. J. GILMOUR.

FREIGHT TRANSFER FOR WAREHOUSES OR PAGTORIES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1903.

2 SHEET$SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

WW Q, J) IIhHI /I UNITED STATES :Patented March 22, 1904.

PATENT @EET E.

JOHN GILMOUR, OF OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 55,478, dated March 22, 1904.. Application filed May 22,1903. Serial No. 158,256. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, J OHN GILMoUR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Owensboro,in the county of Daviess and State of Kentucky, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Freight-Transfers for Warehouses or Factories; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is ageneral plan view of main and side tracks. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3is an end view of. the track. Fig. 4 is a top view ofthe switch portion. Fig. 5 is a side view of the same, partly in section.

Fig. 6 is a sectionalview showing the carrier.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the carrier and brake. Figs. 8 and 9 are sections of the track-rail. Fig. 10 is a top view of the crossing rail-plate. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 12 is a detail view of the end of the switch-plate, showing the electric switch-button.

The invention relates to devices for loading, unloading, and moving from place, to place such articles and packages as are re quired to be handled in factories and warehouses; and the invention consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings the letter a designates an elevated track consisting of rail-sections which are secured to the rafters of the ceiling of the warehouse. These tracks extend to all portions of the floor of the warehouse in which they are designed to be used, and all the floors of the warehouse may be similarly fitted up, communication being had between the upper and lower tracks by means of elevators operating through hatchways, as at Z). Each rail-section consists of the top plate or holding-flange c, the web (Z, and the hearing or track flange 6. Usually it is preferred to employ two of these track-flanges, One on each side of the web, in order to guard against the carrier leaving the track. There are two or more tracks ordinarily employed extendlng from end to end of the warehouseceiling, and these may be supplemented by cross-tracks for wings of the warehouse when desired. The tracks are designed each to have a slight inclination downward in the direction of passage of its carriers in order to utilize gravity in moving the articles, and it is apparent that the carriers may be in this of its load. I i

WVhere the cross-track is designed to be used, it.must traverse the main track, and for this purpose a crossing-head 7c is employed, from which depends the rectangular trackflange m, having its bearings for the rollers of the carriers on all four sides and separated from the ends of the crossing-tracks by the slots at, which allow the arms of the hangers of the carriers to pass.

Each carrier consists of a hanger Z, having its arms provided with track-rollers p, which engage the track-bearing and in connection therewith the automatic friction-brake t. This friction-brake consists of a lever s, having one arm provided with a friction head or boss q, adapted to engage the friction-bearing of the track, and the other arm a provided with a spring or weight w. The brake head or boss 9 having increasing engagement with the brake-bearing lb of the track serves to exert a gradually-increasing braking ac tion, thereby counteracting the increased momentum and preventing undue speed at the lower portion or further end of the track.

Sometimes the article to be carried is connected to the arm at, its position thereon being regulated by the weight. Suitable tongs or hooks of attachment may be used to make the connection.

In order to operate along the lateral portions of the warehouse-floor, the branch tracks '0 may be provided, these connecting with the main tracks by means of the switch-rails 9" and the switch-plates a. cured to the girder or rafter of the ceiling and is provided with the main-track flange 2 and the side-track flange 3, either of which may be engaged by the pivoted switch-rail r. The switch-rail is braced at its ends by suitable rabbeted bearings 4 and 5 on the main-track rail and on the switch-plate.

In order to lock the switch-rail to position, either for the main track or for the side track,

an automatic latch 6 is provided, which can durable, safe, and easily operated for the objects in view.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a warehouse freight-transfer, the combination with the uniformly-inclined elevated suspended bearing-track, of the suspended carrier and the automatic gradual-increase friction-brake, substantially as specified.

2. In a Warehouse freight-transfer, the combination with the elevated main suspended The switch-plate is sebearing-track rail and the elevated suspended bearing side-track rail of the rabbeted switchrail plate, the pivoted switch-rail and the holding-latch, substantially as specified.

3. In a warehouse-transfer, the combination with the elevated main suspended bearing-track, the elevated cross-track, and the suspended carrier, of the crossing-plate having the rectangular roller-bearing and the intervals or ways for the passage of the arms of the carrier, substantially as specified.

4. In a Warehouse-transfer, the inclined direct main elevated suspended bearing-track, the reversely-inclined elevated return suspended bearing-track, and the shifting-loop tracks at the ends of said direct and reverse tracks connecting the same, substantially as 5. In a warehousetransfer, the combination With the elevated uniformly-inclined and increase friction-brake bearings track-rails having the suspended track-bearings of the suspended roller-carrier, and the frictionbrake lever pivoted to said roller-carrier, substantially as specified.

6. In a Warehouse-transfer, the combination with the reversely and uniformly inclined elevated suspended bearing-tracks, the suspended carrier, and the automatic gradual-increiase friction-brake, substantially as specifie 7. In a warehouse-transfer, the combination with the suspended bearing elevated track, and the pivoted switch-rail, of the switch-plate, the holding-latch and the electric switch-button, substantially as specified.

In testimony WhereofIhave afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN GILMOUR.

Witnesses:

HERBERT C. EMERY, A. G. GEDNEY. 

